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Scooter Gennett hits 4 home runs for Reds to tie MLB record

Joe Kay, AP
Published 11:17 p.m. CT June 6, 2017

Cincinnati Reds' Scooter Gennett hits a two-run home run and his fourth overall in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday, June 6, 2017, in Cincinnati. The Reds won 13-1. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)(Photo: John Minchillo, AP)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Scooter Gennett hit four home runs, matching the major league record, and finished with 10 RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds routed the slumping St. Louis Cardinals 13-1 on Tuesday night.

Gennett became the 17th player to homer four times in one game — and perhaps the least likely. A scrappy second baseman who was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee in late March, he began the night with 38 career home runs in five seasons, including three this year.

Josh Hamilton was the previous player to hit four home runs in one game, for Texas against Baltimore in May 2012.

The 27-year-old Gennett singled his first time up and then homered in four straight at-bats , including a grand slam . His 10 RBIs tied Cincinnati's club record.

Gennett snapped an 0-for-19 slump during the Reds' 4-2 win over the Cardinals on Monday. He went 5 for 5 on Tuesday and raised his batting average 32 points to .302.

Since being picked up by the Reds late in spring training, Gennett has played a utility role for Cincinnati. He started in left field Tuesday night.

The last National League player to hit four home runs in one game was Shawn Green for the Los Angeles Dodgers against Milwaukee in May 2002.

Gennett hit an RBI single and his second career slam off St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright (6-4), who brought a long scoreless streak into the game but couldn't handle a team that has hit him like no other. He lasted only 3 2/3 innings and gave up nine runs for just the third time in his career.

The last time? Also against Cincinnati in 2013.

Gennett's grand slam was the first Wainwright had allowed since 2012.

Eugenio Suarez's bases-loaded triple in the fourth ended Wainwright's outing. Gennett followed with his fifth homer of the season off John Gant, and then hit a solo shot off the right-hander.

Gennett got his second curtain call of the game after his two-run shot off John Brebbia in the eighth.

Tim Adleman (4-2) gave up one run — on Stephen Piscotty's homer — in seven innings.

The Cardinals have dropped a season-high five straight and eight of their last 10.

The Reds have won three in a row against the Cardinals for the first time since 2015. They've taken nine of their last 14 against St. Louis.

Wainwright's streak of scoreless innings ended at 17 in the first. Billy Hamilton tapped a grounder that the Cardinals let roll, and it stopped on the first base line. He advanced on a groundout and scored on Gennett's single that got the Reds rolling.

Wainwright fell to 9-11 career against Cincinnati with a 5.01 ERA.

REDS MOVES

The Reds reinstated left-handed reliever Tony Cingrani from the disabled list and optioned right-hander Lisalverto Bonilla to Triple-A Louisville. Cingrani had been sidelined April 21 with a strained right oblique. Bonilla was 1-3 with a 7.43 ERA in four starts and two relief appearances.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: Rookie INF Paul DeJong made his first start at shortstop in place of Aledmys Diaz, who got a day off. DeJong has started eight games at second base, but played both positions in the minors.

Reds: RF Scott Schebler was out of the lineup for the third straight game with a sore left shoulder, but came in on defense after the Reds built their big lead.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (4-3) gave up only one run in six innings of a 7-5 win over the Reds at Busch Stadium on April 28. He is 9-4 career against Cincinnati.

Reds: RHP Bronson Arroyo (3-4) is coming off one of the best outings of his comeback season. He allowed only two runs in six innings of a 3-2 victory over Atlanta on Friday.